California State: Population, Rankings, and Facts

#28 in Overall Ranking out of 50 in 2021

Those with the dream of starting a new life near nature and the beach may well be thinking about moving to CA (this is the California abbreviation). With paradises like San Francisco or San José, this may be one of the best decisions in one’s life. But this is not the only indicator to consider. What about health, education, crime? Find all the information needed below and evaluate whether living in CA, in the United States, is the best choice or not.

Updated: March 31, 2021
  • Area
    163,696 SQ M
  • Capital
    Sacramento
  • Population
    39,512,223
  • Income
    $71805
  • Home Value
    $624,977
  • Crime
    174,331
  • Unemployment
    9.3%
  • Education
    32.6%
  • Medicine
    5
  • Poverty
    13.0%
  • Environment
    118
  • Infrastructure
    16.9%

This is one of the most well-known states in the USA. It is located in the Pacific region and has more than 39 million inhabitants. The most important parts of the province are the San Francisco Bay area, Sacramento, and Los Angeles. Of course, this makes the region very expensive. The economy is strong, with 58% of the population working in finance, real estate, technology, and technical services.

In terms of popular culture, this province has a lot of influence. Plus, due to heavy immigration, it’s very diverse, with many foods, opinions, and traditions living together in the same place. When it comes to borders, it has Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, and Mexico to the south. To the west, it has the impressive Pacific Ocean.

While the state has beautiful beaches, there’s also a rainforest, a desert, and the snowy alpine in the mountains. Yet, water is scarce, which shows in the number of wildfires every year in the region.

Finally, education is also excellent, with high schools that have a significant number of electives. Plus, there are grants for those who cannot afford the costly universities in the region.

How We Figured Out Which Were the Best States to Live In

While the United States has many best states to live in, certain indicators can help us rank them. Some of them include education, health, and access to services. Other metrics include crime as reported by the census, the news and the FBI source, data from the US Census Bureau, the value of homes, and how many American people can have access to them.

So, we examined all these indicators and ranked this place following these criteria.

California Rankings

  • Population
    #1
    Population
    Data: 39,512,223

    This is the most densely populated area in the whole country. This started with the Gold Rush back in the 19th century, where thousands of people came looking for a job and a better life. This has not stopped ever since, and it has cities with millions of inhabitants per square mile.

  • Median Income
    #40
    Income
    Data: $71,805

    While this region is in 40th place because of high taxes, the median income is above the $61,000 of the United States, according to the latest census bureau. This is the home to some of the richest American people in the world, such as Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, or Larry Page. This is due to Silicon Valley, where most tech companies are located.

  • Home Value
    #2
    Home Value
    Data: $624,977

    Houses here are costly, but the wages accompany this situation. This means that professionals can access their own homes with the help of a bank loan. In terms of the housing situation, the property price is going up. It’s the same tendency there has been for the last five years.

  • Unemployment Rate
    #49
    Unemployment
    Data: 9.3%

    The capital city Sacramento has the highest California unemployment rate. This happened in particular after the coronavirus crisis hit the country. When considering the whole state, it has a high rate, especially when compared to other cities and places of similar size and population.

  • Poverty
    #31
    Poverty
    Data: 13.0%

    13% of the California population lives in poverty or near poverty. What’s striking about this figure is that many of these people are employed. Yet, they receive a minimum wage, and it’s not enough for them to pay rent or other expensive bills. Single women are more prone to poverty than single white men.

  • Education
    #14
    Education
    Data: 32.6%

    The percentage of the educated population is relatively high. These persons have chosen to work in the IT sector mostly, but others living in cities like San Francisco also live off tourism. In those cases, they don’t usually go to college but prefer to work in hotels or restaurants where they make money out of tips.

  • Medicine
    #21
    Medicine
    Health Outcomes: 5

    Medicine and clinical care here are top-notch. The population without private insurance is very low, only 8%, following the latest census bureau’s data. Then, most people are able to afford even complex medical procedures like surgeries. Plus, there is a great variety of clinics and hospitals available throughout the counties.

  • Crime Rate
    #37
    Crime
    Violent Crime: 174,331

    While the population of the state is huge, the crime rate is decent. This is especially important when comparing CA with other similar places. For example, while rape can happen, it’s not that common as in Colorado or Nevada. The most dangerous cities and places in the California counties are Emeryville, Oakland, and Red Bluff, as reported by the news.

  • Natural Environment
    #48
    Environment
    Air: 118

    In terms of healthy air to breathe and drinking water, the violations are a bit high. Yet, the government is taking measures to increase the water provision for the province. This will, in turn, decrease the number of wildfires that take place every year around the territory.

  • Infrastructure
    #43
    Infrastructure
    Poor Roads: 16.9%

    In terms of infrastructure, the state of the roads and bridges is quite deficient. Although the government makes a great investment every month to keep them in good condition, millions of people move by car every day. So, this affects the quality of roads and bridges such as the Golden State Bridge or the Puente de la Bahía.

California Facts

  • The state of California has 53 US representatives in Congress due to its population.
  • The motto is Eureka, the famous word that means “I found it.”
  • The nickname of this province is the Golden State. This comes from the Gold Rush of the 19th century when people found gold mines in this place. Immigration was heavy and came from different parts of the world, even from remote lands like China.
  • The California zip codes are more than 1,700.
  • There are 18 national forests and 278 state parks here.
  • The state bird is the quail, and the animal that represents the state is the grizzly bear. This is also present in the CA flag.
  • The different borders are Oregon to the north, Nevada to the east, Baja California to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west, with beautiful beaches.
  • The state flower has been the golden poppy ever since 1903.
  • Those looking for mountains can enjoy the Rocky Mountains and its tallest peak.
  • The CA income tax is progressive and goes from 6% to 13.3%

California in Photos

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California Golden Gate Bridge
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FAQ Section

  • What Time Zone Is California in?

    Being on the west coast, this place has a different time zone from other important cities and states in the USA. The time zone here is GMT-8. New York, for example, has GMT-5, so they have a 3-hour difference between them.

  • What Is the Minimum Wage in California?

    The United States as a country has a policy of minimum wages. This ensures that everybody has enough money to make a living and have a decent style. In this province, the minimum wage is $14 per hour, though the government intends to raise it to 15$ in 2022.

  • What Is the Golden State Known for?

    There are many things that make California’s state unique. These include:

    • The beautiful beaches such as Venice Beach.
    • The National and state parks such as Yosemite.
    • Visit the famous prison of Alcatraz and learn more about the justice system.
      It’s the largest wine-growing region.
    • Go surfing and enjoy the 840-mile coast.
    • Meet celebrities, as it’s the predominant place for the film and TV industry here.
    • Disneyland, where adults and children can have fun and enjoy themselves for days.

  • What to Do in California?

    Tourists can enjoy dozens of things to do here, such as:

    • Go to San Francisco and have the time of one’s life on the beautiful beaches. There are dozens of aquatic activities to carry out, too.
    • Visit the CA national parks such as Yosemite and enjoy the natural beauty of the mountains and forests.
    • Some other activities include sailing and enjoying sunset cruises.
    • Go to Los Angeles and take a look at breath-taking landscapes.
    • San Diego is one of the largest cities to visit, with millions of things to do being a tourist.

  • What Is the CA Sales Tax?

    In terms of taxes, this province is quite costly. The sales tax, for example, is at 7.25%. Yet, sellers need to consider that some districts have adopted regional taxes that make the prices more expensive. The brackets, then, go from 0.10% to 1.00%. The property tax here is at 0.74%, which is quite low.